Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
The incident occurred in a restaurant situated on the lower floor of a residential building, just metres from the Mall of the Emirates parking lot. The force of the explosion shattered the restaurant’s windows, scattering glass across the pavement. Videos circulating on social media captured thick smoke billowing into the night sky, with crowds gathering nearby and a police helicopter observed circling overhead.
Residents in the vicinity reported hearing a loud explosion, with some inside the Mall of the Emirates feeling the impact. One resident noted that the lights went out in their building and windows shook due to the blast. Another mentioned that the fire appeared to spread to the lower sections of the residential building housing the restaurant.
Dubai Civil Defence confirmed the fire was caused by a gas leak inside the restaurant. Teams initiated cooling procedures and inspected the building for structural damage. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the leak.
This incident marks at least the third reported fire in the densely populated Al Barsha district in recent months. In October, residents of an apartment block were evacuated due to a fire in the early hours, and in December, tenants of an eight-storey building recounted how they alerted neighbours after fire alarms failed to sound during a blaze.
Also published on Medium.
